The present invention relates generally to optical component packaging, and more particularly, to optical component packaging for optical laser rods.
Most solid-state industrial laser systems made today include a laser rod of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG). Nd:YAG was one of the early materials laser pioneers tried thirty years ago and is merely a representative example of the materials from which laser rods can be manufactured. It is a versatile material that can be operated effectively in either pulsed or continuous wave modes. A combination of factors make Nd:YAG the practical material of choice for high average power solid-state lasers today and for the foreseeable future.
The laser rods typically have end surfaces that have been polished flat to within one-tenth of the wave length of light and have been coated with a material to prevent reflection losses. Usually lasers with rated average output power up to 500 W use a single cylindrical rod up to 10 mm diameter by 150 mm long. Higher-power systems with rated outputs of 2-3 kw can have up to four, or less-commonly six, pump heads, each with a single cylindrical rod up to 200 mm or more long. More recently, rectangular slab configuration crystals with up to 10 mm by 25 mm cross-sectional dimensions and lengths in excess of 200 mm have been sold.
These laser rods are synthetically grown and are quite expensive. The yield from a synthetically grown crystal is quite small because the crystal""s exhibit fine grain-like striations which are formed as successive layers of materials solidify on the conical-shaped growth interface during the long growth cycle. Any light propagating parallel or even at some small angle to these striations experiences strong distortions.
The growth of high-quality in Nd:YAG crystals is a rather expensive undertaking because the process is very slow, requiring a very stable environment to be successful. The facet and striation features of the crystal morphology unavoidably limit the material yield. Consequently, the laser rod crystal, especially a slab crystal, is one of the more expensive components in a laser system.
In spite of the high cost of fabrication of the laser rods, the laser rods frequently are damaged in shipping from the laser rod supplier to laser manufacturer, while positioned in a plastic container. The end surfaces of the laser rods have to be protected during shipment. The end surfaces are coated and are very sensitive to damage. The microstructure of the coating is porous and can become contaminated by out-gassing or by the adhesive of particulates. To eliminate this contamination, cleaning steps are required to remove such contaminants. Normally, laser rods are shipped in lens tissue with the laser rod then being packaged in the plastic container having a foam insert with a channel to receive the laser rod packed in the lens tissue. The lens tissue is in itself xe2x80x9cdirtyxe2x80x9d in that it contains particulates which can adversely affect the cleanliness of the end faces of a laser rod and since lens tissue has been bleached, the bleaching process also makes it susceptible to out-gassing, which further adversely affects the cleanliness of the end faces of the laser rod. In addition, the lens tissue can trap dirt which can be transferred from the lens tissue to the laser rod during the handling process. The lens tissue tends to leave dirt on the end faces of the laser rod. This requires that the rod have its end faces cleaned prior to use. Cleaning requires an additional process before the rod can be used and raises the possibility of scratching the delicate coatings applied to the end faces. In addition, the use of foam to hold the laser rod in the plastic shipping container introduces the possibility that out-gassing from the foam will introduce contaminants onto the end faces of the laser rod.
Frequently, the laser rod will shift within the plastic container and the end faces can be damaged if an end face is brought into contact with the plastic container. Also, during removal from the plastic container, the end faces of the laser rod can be touched by human hands and become damaged and not usable. To prevent the end faces from becoming damaged, protective material (lens tissue, foam) is frequently put on the end faces and warning labels are placed on the packaging to warn the person removing the laser rod from the packaging not to touch the end faces of the laser rod. Despite such warnings and protective measures being taken, the laser rods may nevertheless be damaged when being removed from packaging material. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a packaging in which the laser rod is protected during shipment and the possibility of the laser rod being damaged during removal from packaging is minimized.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide packaging for an optical component in which the possibility of damage to the optical component when removed from the optical component packaging is minimized.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide optical component packaging in which the possibility of damage of the end faces of the optical component are minimized during removal from the optical packaging.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide optical packaging which protects the optical component during transport and which is inexpensive to produce.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an optical component packaging assembly including a rectangular plastic box with an upper half and a lower half. The optical component has at least one optical surface that needs to be protected. A thermal plastic vacuum formed insert is positioned within the lower half. The lower insert has a recess. The recess has opposed v-shaped or semi-circular ends and central finger recesses. The opposed v-shaped or semi-circular ends prevent the end faces (optical surfaces) of the optical component from being brought into contact with the insert. The finger recesses provide convenient access to the laser rod so that the person unpackaging the laser rod from the optical component packaging is most likely to engage the laser rod at a center portion thereof rather than grasping the laser rod at the end faces thereof, thereby inadvertently damaging the optical surfaces of the laser rod. When the optical component packaging box is closed, a downwardly extending portion from an insert placed in the upper half of the box engages the outer diameter of the laser rod and secures the laser rod in position in the recess.
The foregoing objects are also achieved by a container for holding at least one laser rod. The container includes a container body and an insert located within the container body. The insert has at least one elongated recess. Each of the at least one recess has opposed convex ends. The at least one laser rod is positionable in the recess.
The foregoing objects are also achieved by a container for holding at least one laser rod. The container includes a container body and an insert located within the container body. The insert has at least one elongated recess. Each of the at least one recess has opposed convex ends. The at least one optical component is positionable in said recess.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.